St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1887-12-25


the greater will be the success. Send
out fifty persons and they will meet
three times as many cases of charity
which could get along without help.
All cases must be treated by a con-
scientiOus Judgment, rather than by the
impulse of the heart. System, discipline
and investigation are the essential ele,
ments of success in dealing with the
dependent. Temporary relief should
always be granted on the basis of value
received, so that the recipient may be
made to feel sense of obligation which
he owes to himself, to the community,
and to the source of his relief.
Charity work Is Oyerdone everywhere by
a competition of churches and societies.
The more you do unsystematically and
the more you advertise, the more you
multiply the unworthy demand. The
poor are bewildered when they see so
much coming to their rescue. and they
often cease to work and wait to be cared
for.
The system which was adopted in this
city of Minneapolis, May 1, 1880, was
through an act of the legislature Of 1879
authorizing the city council to appointa
superintendent of the poor, whose duty
is defined by law ''t0 care for all de-
pendent poor within the limits by giving
them temporary aid" and from my per-
sOnal knowledge of the workings of
that system, can say that the present
superintendent of the poor, with his
efficient clerk, is competent to examine
and care for all the worthy poor that are
brought to their notice. 1t only requires
glance at the amount of labor accom-
plished at this Office to satisfy any per-
son that it is q system which commends
itself.
In cities it is necessary to furnish
temporary aid to the dependent widows
who have children and to many others
who are not competent, from i'll health
OF otherwise to earn their own living,
and this should be done by taxation.
The number thus aided by the city
under this system from March l, 1886,
to March l, 1887, was 630 families. This
number includes 1877 widows, represent
ing 1,345 children, at cost of $27, 6076
The number being aided at the present
time is about 700 families, representing
about 1900 children, at probable cost
for the year ending March l, 1888, OF
s32, 600. Each year the superintendent
of the poor is required to make an esti-
mate of the amount necessary for the
support of the same the next succeed
ing year, together with the probable in
crease. This estimate is handed to the
comptroller, and from him to the board
of tax levy of which he is member, for
such modification as, In his judgment,
seems best. Such tax Is levied and
collected each year like other taxes.
There is an uplifting help and de-
grading help. The first named is the
furnishing schools of industry, in which
all ages, sexes and Municipalities OF
children and all grades of adult I'M
skilled laborers can come and be trained
up in trades of self-dependence, and
where skilled laborers can find employ
ment as temporary aid for themselves
and families. The degrading help is
money given on the streets, or at ones
own door, or from any source where it
is not paid for by the hand of the tOiler.
They must learn to labor.
l am bold to affirm that no church has
moral right to break into trust SO
sacred as that which comes from Sab
bath donations and divert them to a
temporary aid for those already pro-
should be found on the uplifting side,
dealing out it's contributions and ener-
gies in establishing systems of perma-
nent help to all those who are without
those natural endOwments to provide
for themselves. Such church would
be church of destiny, unlimited in
usefulness. beckoned by the hand d.
vine to honor and dignity labor.
A waste of time and waste Of money
demand aggressive action. Let US then
strike for system Of industrial educa.
ton which shall develop the body and
mind together. The poor must be born
anew in this sphere of usefulness. so
that they can grapple with each problem
of life, and by their daily labor to the
best advantage provide for their neces-
sites.
A mighty responsibility restsupon the
city and state, and none the less upon
the individual. For every act which
shall tend to lower the self respect OF
the poor is stain upon humanity. The
surplus of wealth, heart and brain OF
this land should be so utilized as to do
the greatest good to the greatest num-
Der, regardless of selfish pride. The
sooner this plan of industrial education
is adopted the sooner we shall find our
selves on plane of received prosperity,
and it will be triumphal start in the
work that will be as mighty as it is un-
bounded for the elevation of the unfor.
tunate poor. NELSON WILLIAMS.